Rate for occasional babysitter
Hi! We recently moved to the area, and don't have any family here. My husband and I have never had anyone look after our toddler before, but are at the point where we are ready to try a baby-sitter for the occasional date night/night out with friends. I have no idea what the hourly rate should be for this area and was wondering what others pay per hour for evening babysitting? We live in the Alameda area.
Thanks so much!
Jan 21, 2024
Parent Replies
I think it depends on whether you’re looking for an experienced nanny who also does occasionally babysitting or a less experienced high school/college student. In my experience, more experienced folks charge $30-$35/hour for 1-2 children. I’ve seen rates around $20/hour for less experienced sitters.
Ours charges $25/hr for babysitting. She's a nanny during the day to another family so this is supplemental income for her. We're in Berkeley for reference.
$25-30 per hour is the most common range I've seen for watching one child (in Berkeley). Some college students I interviewed with asked for $20 an hour. Some experienced sitters and nannies have asked for over $30 per hour...
Hello! We have a person in her mid-twenties, not a childcare worker professionally, but she likes to make some extra money on the weekends. We give her $25/hour. On urbansitter I have experienced similar rates for adults that do not work in childcare. I have seen some college students charging a few dollars less per hour on urbansitter, and childcare professionals charging a few dollars more per hour (close to $30/hour). I would suspect that a responsible, high-school kid in your neighborhood would be a good, less-expensive option, consider putting out a question on Nextdoor or to your neighbors in-person!
Our babysitter charges us $30/hr plus we usually give her a tip. Hope you find someone and can a much-deserved date night!